Cursed Villainess' Obsession-Chapter 65

This was a monster that she wouldn’t have been able to handle alone under normal circumstances.

But due to its fatigue from pushing through her party’s defenses, she could take it down in one go.

‘This is too precarious.’

From her vantage point at the back, Emily could see that the situation was deteriorating.

Even though Laphne and the three strongest from the Academy were fighting together, it was becoming increasingly difficult to fend off the overwhelming number of monsters.

The tide of creatures breaching their defenses was steadily rising.

‘...Ken, please, hurry.’

Emily continued to gaze at the glowing gravestone.

According to Adrian, the gravestone would react, opening a portal to hell.

This meant that the exit Ken was at had already appeared.

However, even after considerable time had passed since the battle began, there was still no news from the gravestone.

‘...What if something happened to Ken?’

The scenario she dreaded most flashed through her mind.

That Ken, trapped in the dungeon, had ultimately succumbed to the ordeal.

Though she didn’t want to think about it, the horrible image naturally emerged, making Emily clench her fists.

She shook her head and focused on the front lines.

She must not let her mind weaken with strange imaginations.

All she could do now was trust Ken and help her party.

But then.

“Emily—!!”

Someone shouted urgently from the front.

The call indicated that the monsters had breached their defenses.

Yet, from the urgency in that voice, she sensed that the number of monsters coming in was far from ordinary.

Then, eight monsters came into view.

[ Wooooaaah!! ]

[ Kiik! Kiik! Kiiiik! ]

‘...Oh no!’

Emily shuddered at the sight of their numbers.

She knew she wouldn’t be able to handle that many.

Nevertheless, she tightened her grip on her shield and sword.

She couldn’t let them reach the gravestone.

But despite her determination,

“Eeeeeek—!!”

The horde of monsters rushing in was unstoppable.

“Stop...! No...!!”

The monsters that broke through her last line of defense charged straight toward the gravestone.

They showed no interest in Emily, focused solely on attacking the gravestone.

━Bang!

━Kwahh!

“Don’t do it…! No…!!”

━Crack!!

Even as Emily adjusted her stance and swung her sword from behind, the monsters kept attacking the gravestone, seemingly undeterred by her efforts.

They were solely focused on their target, willing to sacrifice their lives.

━Crack.

The concentrated assault began to fracture the gravestone bit by bit.

At the front, Laphne, who had been holding back countless monsters, glanced uneasily at the gravestone.

She confirmed that the eight monsters were attacking it.

“Stop it—!!”

“Laphne!”

Laphne, losing her composure, ignored Mary’s call and dashed toward the gravestone.

If it broke, Ken wouldn’t be able to come out.

She wouldn’t be able to see him.

The chilling cry echoed in her mind.

As she sprinted forward at an unprecedented speed,

Laphne activated her acceleration skill.

‘...No—!!’

In the slowing scenery,

Emily, with a desperate expression, fought against the monsters, and Adrian, who had just noticed, also rushed in.

And Zikfrit, who was likewise racing toward the gravestone.

The whole party was rushing towards the gravestone, knowing that if it broke, their efforts to fend off the monsters would be in vain.

Among them, Laphne moved the fastest.

A single monster, closest to the gravestone, lunged forward, preparing to deliver the final blow.

“NOOOO—!!”

With Laphne’s frantic scream, time did not stop.

━Kwahhhhhh!!

With the final blow, the shining gravestone shattered with a deafening roar that shook the air.

“Ah... aaah.”

Amid the rising smoke,

Laphne extended her hand with a look of despair.

It was as if she were witnessing her longed-for dream dissipate into nothing.

The result she never wished for had come to pass, leaving her in shock as she sank to the ground.

“......Ken.”

[ Wooooaaahhh━!! ]

“Laphne—!! Stay focused! The monsters are still coming!!”

━Kwahhh!!

With Adrian’s shout, flames erupted, mingling with the roars of the monsters.

But Laphne showed no reaction to any of it.

She simply stared blankly at what she had failed to protect.

Moments later, as the smoke from the explosion began to clear,

The scattered fragments of the gravestone and the corpses of monsters caught in the blast came into view.

And then.

“...I-I almost died.”

A startled man, holding Emily, was embedded upside down in a nearby pillar.

“Ken…?”

At the sight of him, light began to return to Laphne’s despairing eyes.

His form was entirely different from what she remembered.

Though it didn’t match the image she had in her mind,

The aura and the glimpses of his past face revealed that he was indeed Ken Feinstein.

“Ke, Ken…”

Then, Emily, safe in his embrace after escaping the explosion, stared at him with wide eyes.

“Is everyone alright...?”

Ken asked, glancing around, his expression still one of concern.

“Not alright, you idiot…!”

Emily, teary-eyed, buried her face against his chest.

“Ken—!!”

Similarly, Laphne, who had been watching from a distance, rushed toward him in an instant.

“Guhhh...!”

“Ken—! Ugh, Ken—!!”

Ken, who struggled to embrace Laphne, stroked her hair, scanning their surroundings.

The onslaught of monsters had ceased with the destruction of the gravestone, but Adrian and Mary were still holding off the remaining creatures.

“First, let’s put out the urgent fire before celebrating?”

With a smile, Ken gently set the two women down from his embrace.

Escaping from the Bottom of Tarros had truly been a close call.

He might have had to endure another year in that place.

The reason was the strange obsession that the magic sword’s spirit showed towards him.

“Uh, is there really no other way?”

“Hmm, no. I can’t live without my master now.”

“What do you mean by ‘master’...?”

I sat down at the door of the magic-infused house, keeping my distance from Tirpione.

First, I adopted a strategy of persuasion.

Always start with conversation.

If that fails, I could try something else.

So, I sat in front of the door, conversing with Tirpione without stepping inside the house to avoid being trapped.

As we talked, our manner of speaking and the titles we used began to change.

Tirpione switched from calling me “Ken” to “Master.”

I also began speaking to her casually instead of using formalities.

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Though we had been talking for quite a while, her resolve remained strong.

“So I really do need that key, okay? To help my party, you have to give it to me.”

“Well, you could just come in and take it.”

Then, with a sultry smile, Tirpione placed the stone tablet atop her chest.

It was as if she dared me to take it.

With my reflexes, I could easily snatch it, but I knew the moment I reached for it, I’d be swallowed by the house.

I wasn’t foolish enough to fall for such a simple trap.

‘...Hah, what should I do?’

What Tirpione desired was one thing.

For me to become her owner and to stay with her.

No matter how much I talked, her resolve didn’t waver, leading me to ask why.

When I questioned her, Tirpione blushed, resting her hand on her cheek as she twisted her body and replied.

“Th-That’s because I fell in love with my master at first sight!”

It was a reason I couldn’t comprehend.

She fell in love?

At first sight?

With someone like me, Ken Feinstein?

Oh, thinking back, I did lose some weight.

But that didn’t change the fact that I was still unattractive.

‘Is the ego sword into weird tastes…?’

Or perhaps it was because I had crafting skills that attracted her.

In any case, I soon realized that discussions were getting nowhere, and time was running short.

The portal would open soon.

“Hey, Tirpione, can I ask a few more questions?”

At that moment, I switched my approach from persuasion to extracting information.

When I asked, Tirpione blushed and replied cautiously.

“If it’s about a girl’s first experience, I haven’t….”

“I didn’t ask about that?!”

Flustered, I cleared my throat and continued with a serious question.

“As a magic sword, if you come out, monsters will be drawn to you.”

“That’s right?”

“Then will you be attacked by the monsters?”

This was what I had been curious about since meeting Tirpione.

In the game, if I took Tirpione’s body outside, I would be instantly devoured by monsters.

So, would she be attacked as well?

At my question, she smiled and looked at me.

“Hehe, you’re too kind, Master. Don’t worry; I won’t be attacked by monsters. They just gather around.”

“Hmmm…”

I crossed my arms, pondering her response.

“Have you experienced that yourself?”

“Of course. It’s not like I’ve been stuck in this house forever… Ah.”

“Then you could come out.”

“Ugh.”

Ever since I escaped the house, Tirpione hadn’t ventured outside.

Initially, I thought she couldn’t come out on her own, but it seemed she was deliberately not stepping outside to guide me.

After all, if her goal was to capture me, it would be normal for her to follow me the moment I stepped outside.

‘...So, there’s something in the house.’

“Humph! But in any case, you’ll have to come in, won’t you?”

Although I felt flustered, I tried not to show it as Tirpione smirked at me.

The key I needed was right there.

“This is what you absolutely need, right? Then you can’t get it without coming in.”

She teased, smiling mischievously.

Realizing her unwavering stance, I crossed my arms and fell deep in thought.

After sorting out my thoughts, I opened my eyes.

“Alright, I’ve made my decision.”

“...What is it?”

“I’m giving up on the key.”

“...Huh?”

Tirpione looked at me, bewildered by my response.

After processing my words, she immediately called out to me in a panic.

“W-Wait, Master! You need this, don’t you?!”

“I do need it. But I can’t stay here forever.”

“B-But that means…”

“I’m giving up the key and leaving this place.”

I pointed toward the sky.

My finger pointed at a beam of green light piercing through the heavens.

That was the portal.

It was time for the exit to open.

Surely, my party members, waiting for me to emerge, would be holding off the monsters.

I could no longer afford to delay.

And at the unexpected reply, Tirpione, who had never shown such a reaction before, grew agitated.

I slowly extended my hand toward her.

“Tirpione.”

“...Yes, yes?”

“Let’s go together.”

I spoke with a serious face.

At that, Tirpione stared at me, astonished.

“But, Master. As you know, if you take me, the monsters will swarm.”

“I know, which is why I thought it through.”

I looked back at the light from the portal in the sky.

“As soon as you come out with me, we’ll make a beeline for that portal.”

“B-But, Master! You don’t understand! Many monsters will be drawn to you! Please, just stay here with me…”

“No. This is the best course of action.”

I shook my head.

And I held out my hand, urging her to take it.

“You’ll be my master. So trust me and come with me.”

“...Ah.”

Her trembling hand reached out toward me.

“Are you really okay with this?”

She asked cautiously.

I nodded confidently.

“I’m sure we can overcome everything if we’re together.”

At my reassuring answer, Tirpione smiled and finally took my hand.

“Then, could you please give me the key too?”

“Ah, yes! Here it is!”

With a bright smile, she tightly held my hand while pulling out the engraved tablet she had hidden in her chest.

I accepted it, placing the key into my spatial pouch.

“Now, let’s go!”

“Yes! Master!”

With her answer, she entered her sword form.

The hand that had once held mine transformed into the hilt of the sword.

“…Hah.”

Slowly, I drew the sword I held from the house.

As I crossed the threshold of the house, I felt a strange barrier, a sort of protective boundary, that resisted me slightly as I pulled the sword free.

Once I had Tirpione, the magic-infused house faded behind me.

[ Kraaahhh!! ]

━Thud, thud, thud, thud!!

Immediately, the sounds of monsters echoed, along with the roars of creatures starting to rumble from the woods.

“Alright! Are you all set? Tirpione.”

[ Yes! Master! I’m always ready to follow your will! ]

I felt a surge of optimism as I heard her response.

“Good.”

With a mix of guilt and determination, I drew my weapon.

[ ...Huh? M-Master? ]

I adopted a throwing stance.

[ W-Wait! Master?! ]

“Sorry, but there’s no other option here…”

And I swung my arm.

Thanks to the incredible physical abilities I had gained from my diet, Tirpione, freed from my grip, soared through the air.

[ M-Masterrrr—!! ]

She fell toward a distant forest.

[ Kraaahhh!! ]

Along with that, the roars of monsters and the vibrations of the ground faded into the distance.

‘Sorry! But I had no other choice!’

If I delayed further, the portal might close.

I felt guilty for deceiving her, but Tirpione wouldn’t be attacked by monsters.

She would probably be able to return to the house as her spirit again.

With those thoughts in mind, I rushed toward the portal, leaving her behind.